The Weekly Daf #189
Niddah 67-73
Week of 20-26 Elul 5757 / 22-28 September 1997 (Parshas Nitzavim-Vayelech)
By Rabbi Mendel Weinbach, Dean, Ohr Somayach Institutions
===========================================================================
Raising the I.Q.
What should a man do to become wise in Torah?" asked the Jews of Alexandria
of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chanina.
"Let him spend much time studying and little time in business," was the
sage's reply.
"But many have done so," they persisted, "and have not succeeded."
"Then let him pray to the one to whom wisdom belongs."
Why, asks the Talmud, did he first mention the need for much study if in
the end everything depends on prayer?
Rabbi Yehoshua taught the people of Alexandria that success in acquiring
wisdom can only be achieved through a combination of study and prayer, and
that one without the other is insufficient.
Maharsha points out that the wisdom referred to here is not the knowledge
of Torah but the intelligence of the one studying Torah. The intelligence
level of a person, say our Sages (Niddah 16b), is predetermined, for at the
moment of conception an angel brings the seminal drop before Hashem and
asks whether a wise man or a fool will be formed from it. Is man forever
limited to this degree of predestined intelligence, asked the Alexandrians,
or is he capable of breaking the banners of this Heavenly decree?
Rabbi Yehoshua's response was that man can break the intelligence barrier
by a combination of hard work and the Heavenly help gained through prayer
and the merit of Torah study. One without the other will leave him with
the level of intelligence decreed at conception. Together they can make
him a more intelligent man.
Niddah 70b
===========================================================================
Siyum of Tenth Cycle of Daf Hayomi
How appropriate it is that our concluding item in the "Weekly Daf" should
deal with the subject of becoming wise in Torah. It is the joy of
acquiring such wisdom which is the cause for tens of thousands of Jews
throughout the world this week to celebrate the completion of the tenth
cycle of Daf Hayomi.
When one completes a single mesechta, let alone the entire Shas, he makes a
siyum which is celebrated with a festive meal which the Shulchan Aruch
(Yoreh Deah 246:26) defines as a "seudas mitzvah." The source for this
practice is the Sage Abaye (Mesechta Shabbos 119a) who declared that when
he saw one of his disciples complete a mesechta he made a festive meal for
all of his disciples.
One reason for this simcha, says the Gaon of Vilna, is the explanation
given by the Sages (Bava Basra 121b) for the Fifteenth of Av being such a
special day of joy. It was on that date that the cutting of wood for use
on the Beis Hamidkash altar was completed for the year. Reaching the
climax of a mitzvah is a cause for joy, and so is reaching the climax of a
mesechta.
Maharsha, however, suggests another source. The Midrash states that we
learn from the feast which King Solomon made for his entire court upon
being blessed with the extraordinary wisdom he had requested in his
nocturnal dialogue with Hashem (Melachim I 3:15), that we should also make
a feast when completing the study of the Torah. This is the source for our
celebration on Simchas Torah when we complete the reading of the entire
Torah, and for our celebration of the siyum of a mesechta. Just as Solomon
understood that there could be no greater cause for joy than the gift of
wisdom, so do we celebrate the acquisition of wisdom which comes form a
year's reading of weekly portions of the Torah and which results from the
completion of a mesechta.
To all participating in this great Siyum Hashas of Daf Hayomi we wish a
hearty "Mazal Tov" with best wishes to complete the cycle again and again.
===========================================================================
Do you link to us? Let everyone know about the Ohr Somayach Home Page by
dropping the following text into the HTML document of YOUR home page:
The Ohr Somayach International Home Page
===========================================================================
SUBSCRIBE!
to one of the many weekly "lists" published by Ohr Somayach Institutions:
ohrnews - Keep up-to-date with the Ohr Somayach Web Site
weekly - Summary of the weekly Torah portion
dafyomi - Rav Mendel Weinbach's insights into the Daf Yomi
ask - The Rabbi answers YOUR questions on Judaism
parasha-qa - Challenging questions on the weekly Torah portion
os-special - All the SPECIAL publications produced by Ohr Somayach
os-alum - "B'Yachad" - the Ohr Somayach Electronic Alumni Newsletter
judaismo - Spanish-Language newsletter on the Parsha & Judaism
month - Seasons of the Moon - The Jewish Year through its months
Ohr Somayach NEVER charges for any of the above lists.
To subscribe, send the message: subscribe {listname} {your full name}
mailto:listproc@virtual.co.il
===========================================================================
Dedication opportunities are available for The Weekly Daf.
Please contact us for details.
===========================================================================
Written and Compiled by Rabbi Mendel Weinbach
General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman
Production Design: Lev Seltzer
===========================================================================
Jewish L EEEEEEEE Prepared by the Jewish Learning Exchange of
J L E Ohr Somayach International
J L E 22 Shimon Hatzadik Street, POB 18103
J L Exchange Jerusalem 91180, Israel
J L E Tel: 972-2-581-0315 Fax: 972-2-581-2890
J J L E Mailto:ohr@virtual.co.il
JJJJ Learning EEEEEEEE http://www.ohr.org.il
===========================================================================
(C) 1997 Ohr Somayach International - All rights reserved.
This publication may be distributed to another person intact without prior
permission. We also encourage you to include this material in other
publications, such as synagogue newsletters. However, we ask that you
contact us beforehand for permission, and then send us a sample issue.